


Love is Blind and Lovers Cannot See

by QueenMaria



Series: Grey-Dawn [5]
Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Agent of Mara, Aneira is a busybody, F/M, Gen, Lydia says so, Matchmaking, Temple of Mara, in training!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2019-06-09 21:20:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15276426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenMaria/pseuds/QueenMaria
Summary: "Not all can hear the broad echoes of deepest dawn."The Dragonborn feels a sensation within her breast, urging her to give a gentle push.OrLydia rolls her eyes at Aneira's inability to let something go unresolved.





	Love is Blind and Lovers Cannot See

**Author's Note:**

> Just a quick idea that came into my head while I was supposed to be working on a completely different part of Aneira’s story. Oh well. Enjoy the silliness!

“Good morning, Thane Aneira,” the older Imperial said cheerily, marching his full cart inside the gates alongside her.

“Good morning, Severio,” Aneira returned his smile, reaching up to remove her scaled helmet and brush her sweat-slicked hair away from her face.

Severio slowed his pace, keeping his stride slow to walk alongside her toward the marketplace.  “Been some time since we saw you last.”

“It has,” she agreed tiredly.   “It’s good to be home.”

“Are you going to be able to stay with us long?” Severio angled his cart along the rocks, grunting in thanks when Aneira reached out to take one of the handles.

“That would make me happiest,” Aneira replied with a rueful grin, “but I have to leave again soon.  I have business in Eastmarch next.”

“Ah,” her companion said, a knowing look in his eyes.  “I’d heard that you might be going to talk to the Bear soon.”  He jerked his head in the direction of a passing guard.  “The word is you’ll go to Tullius, too.”

“That’s the plan to make peace,” Aneira agreed, bidding Severio to stop beside Breezehome so she could toss her own voluminous sack off her shoulder and inside the door.  “If everything works out, that is.”

“You’ll manage,” Severio nodded affirmatively, letting her grab hold of the handle again.  “If anyone could make those old warriors stop and listen, it’d be you.”

“Thank you,” Aneira said, smiling softly as they pushed up the angled path.  “I can only hope they both _want_ to listen.”

“Well, bring Ulfric a bottle of good mead, and Tullius a fine wine.”  The Imperial winked his dark eye at her.  “Anyone who turns down a free drink can’t be reasoned with anyway.  Then you’ll know if there’s any point in talking with them.”

Aneira couldn’t help but chuckle, shoving the cart onto the flat cobblestones near Carlotta’s stall.  “Sound advice, my friend.  I will have to stop by Honningbrew on the way out of town.”

Severio nodded approvingly, turning away from Aneira to speak to his best customer.

“Good morning, Carlotta,” the man greeted warmly, reaching into his cart to pull out the first of several bags.  “How are you this fine day?”

“Well, as always, Severio.”  Carlotta smiled back, moving around her stand to open one of her barrels.  “A good harvest today?”

“Oh yes,” Severio assured her, letting the green apples roll gently onto the wood.  Aneira’s eyes flicked between the two of them.  “Plenty of apples and cabbage.  The potatoes and leeks will be ready tomorrow.”

“Wonderful,” she sighed, moving to the next barrel.  “Those always sell quickly.”

Aneira smiled slightly, watching the interaction between the two Imperials with a slowly dawning awareness.  There was a strange feeling blooming inside her as she observed their easy conversation and fluid teamwork, a sensation she’d only felt a few times before; when she’d spoken to Calcemo about Faleen, Klimek about Fastred, Faendal about Camilla.

It was like the softest whisper in her ear, an urging to make the gentlest of pushes.  It was only after she’d spoken to Dinya that she could start to put a name to what that meant.

The Dragonborn walked a little out of the way, heading to Anoriath’s stall to buy some chicken and keep herself occupied.  Severio and Carlotta chatted with each other throughout their business transaction, the man barely looking away from her face, except when they laughed together as Mila ran by and shouted hello to them both.  When Severio began to pack up and leave for the day, Aneira moved smoothly away from the stalls toward him.

Acting quickly, Aneira bought a few apples and cabbage from Carlotta, earning a smile from both Imperials as she put them into a sack.  Severio bid Carlotta good day, his eyes still lingering on her with a glow Aneira felt blind to have never noticed before.

Walking alongside him under the pretense of going to Breezehome, Aneira spoke only when they were nearly at the path to the Drunken Huntsman and out of view of the market.

“It’s good that you’ll have so many crops ready in time for tomorrow,” she said, trying to keep her tone easygoing.

“Oh?” Severio turned to look at her, brow a little furrowed as he slowed just slightly.  “What’s tomorrow?”

Aneira smiled, continuing to face forward.  “Well, it’s Heart’s Day,” she said matter-of-factly.  She jerked her head in the direction of the inn.  “I’m sure Hulda will have her hands full with the dinner guests, and Carlotta’s stall busy with those who want to cook a fine meal for their loved ones.  No doubt she’ll be able to close early and have a nice evening with Mila.”

Severio came to almost a full stop, feet sliding on the stones as he processed what the Dragonborn had said.  “Oh, that’s right,” he said wonderingly.  “I’d completely forgotten.”

“Oh,” Aneira said quietly, letting that gentle whisper guide her careful words.  “Well, you and Carlotta will certainly benefit from it.” Aneira smiled at the tanned-skinned man, watching his eyes meet hers.  “Don’t they say the way into someone’s heart is through the stomach?”

The farmer blinked, lips quirking a little in bemusement.  “Isn’t it the way to a man’s heart?”

Aneira only laughed.  “I’m sure it goes both ways”

“Huh," Severio said, and to Aneira’s quiet delight, she noticed him angle his head back toward the direction of the market.

Two days later, in the wake of the city’s Heart’s Day merriment, Lydia mentioned to her that Carlotta and Mila had left the capital with Severio Pelagia in the late afternoon the day before.

“Severio invited them both down to his home for dinner to celebrate the festival,” Lydia mentioned, perplexed but pleased.  “I’ve never seen Carlotta take an invitation from any man before.  Mikael has given it enough tries.”

“Good,” Aneira said, running her brush through her hair as she looked into her small mirror.  “I’m glad he knew to include her daughter.”

Lydia turned to look at her thane slowly, eyes widening at Aneira’s barely concealed pleasure.  “My Thane,” she said, a suspicious smile on her face, “what have you been up to?”

“Nothing, really,” the Dragonborn said, shrugging lightly.  “If you were to ask Severio, I’m sure the most he could tell you was that I wished he and Carlotta good business for the festival.”

Lydia’s eyes narrowed, thought she didn’t stop smirking.  “That’s all, is it?”

“That’s all,” Aneira affirmed, voice nearly a sing-song.

Lydia was quiet for a moment, lips tugged to one side in amusement and exasperation.

“You do know I remember when you told me you were taking requests from the Temple of Mara, don’t you, Aneira?”  Lydia strode forward, easily plucking the brush from Aneira’s hand as she grinned.  “Something about training as an Agent of Mara, in fact?”

“Mhmm,” Aneira hummed as Lydia began to brush her long dark locks for her.  “Very fulfilling work, compared to all the other missions Skyrim gives me.”

Lydia laughed, working at several knots in the Dragonborn’s hair.  “I seem to recall that wood elf in Riverwood talking with me once, after he learned I was your housecarl.  A sweet little tale, about how you revealed a scheme by one of his neighbors against him, and even supplied him with an Amulet of Mara, which he then used to propose.”

“Faendal did invite me to his wedding,” Aneira replied with a sigh, “but I was in another hold at the time.”

“Uh huh,” Lydia tugged on a knot, making Aneira wince around her grin.  The Nord steadied her body with her left hand on Aneira’s left shoulder.  “Any other souls just _happening_ to pair up after a quick conversation with you?”

“Lydia,” Aneira answered, reaching up to cup Lydia’s fingers, “truly.  It was Heart’s Day.  What better time for Mara to give her guidance?”

The housecarl only shook her head, pulling her Thane’s newly smooth hair away from her face. “Meddlesome.  You’ll be the country's busybody in no time if you keep this up.”  A glint entered Lydia’s eyes as she stared at her through the mirror.  “A Viola Giordano for every hold.”

Aneira’s deeply offended gasp was reward enough for the housecarl, and well worth the chase around Breezehome that ensued while the Dragonborn insisted that an Agent of Mara, even in training, couldn’t possibly be called a busybody or a _Viola_.

Unbeknownst to either the giggling housecarl or flustered Dragonborn, Severio Pelagia was whistling while he swept around his home, and Carlotta was washing her dishes with a pleased smile.  Mila wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but if her mother was happy, all must be right with the world.


End file.
